Reinforced extensible insulator



Unite This invention relates generally to reinforced insulators for usein upholstered assemblies, and refers more particularly to asubstantially flat horizontally extending elongated insulator for usebetween the padding and a supporting spring structure of an upholsteredassembly.

One of the essential objects of the invention is to provide an insulatorof the type mentioned wherein the insulator preferably includes asubstantially rectangular extensible sheet of flexible material, andseparate substantially parallel extensible reinforcing strands ofsubstantially uniform length threaded loosely through said extensiblerectangular sheet.

Another object is to provide an insulator wherein the flexible materialof said rectangular sheet and said reinforcing strands have intermediatetheir end portions of undulating form, so that said rectangular sheetand said strands are extensible.

Another object is to provide an insulator wherein successive undulationsrespectively of said strands are disposed alternately upon oppositesurfaces of said rectangular sheet and are disposed in verticallyopposed relation to successive undulations of the flexible material ofsaid rectangular sheets Another object is to provide an insulatorwherein opposite end portions of said strands are upon one of thesurfaces aforesaid of said rectangular sheet and terminate short of andadjacent to opposite ends of said rectangular sheet.

Another object is to provide an insulator wherein opposite end portionsof the flexible material of the rectangular sheet are substantially flatand are terminally provided with open return bent or inwardly foldedportions, and opposite end portions of the reinforcing strands havedeformed portions preferably in the form of open return bent orsubstantially C-shaped portions.

Another object is to provide an insulator wherein the end portions andthe deformed portions of the strands are disposed between the flat endportions and the return bent portions of the flexible material of therectangular sheet, so that the deformed portions of the strands arecovered by the open return bent portions of the flexible material of therectangular sheet and are capable of being interlocked with the flexiblematerial of the sheet to resist endwise movement of said strands bodilyrelative to said sheet.

Another object is to provide an insulator wherein the flat end portionsof the flexible material of the rectangular sheet, the open return bentportions of said flexible material, the end portions of the reinforcingstrands, and the open return bent portions of said strands at each endof the rectangular sheet have a common binder.

Another object is to provide an insulator wherein the binder at each endof the rectangular sheet is preferably formed of flexible sheet materialand is held against displacement by means extending through thesubstantially flat end portions and the open return bent portions of theflexible material of the sheet at points between the end portions of thestrands.

Another object is to provide an insulator wherein each binder ispreferably formed from a material that is different than the flexiblematerial of the rectangular sheet and comprises a separate stripextending transversely of the rectangular sheet.

1 Another object is to provide an insulator wherein the States Patentflexible material of each binder is folded freely around the adjacentend of said rectangular sheet and has substantially flat substantiallyparallel portions respectively below the substantially flat portions andabove the return bent portions of the rectangular sheet.

Another object is to provide an insulator wherein the means for holdingeach binder against displacement includes substantially aligned spacedmeans extending transversely of the rectangular sheet.

Another object is to provide an insulator wherein the rectangular sheetis preferably formed of burlap, the strands are preferably formed ofwire, the binders at opposite ends of the rectangular sheet are eachpreferably formed of crepe paper, and the means for holding the bindersagainst displacement are preferably formed of metal and are in the formof conventional type hog rings that may be conveniently stapled to thebinders and to the flexible material of the rectangular sheet.

Another object is to provide an insulator that is simple inconstruction, economical to manufacture, and eificicnt in use.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of thisinvention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds,especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawingwherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an upholstered assembly provided witha reinforced extensible insulator embodying my invention and showingparts broken away and in section.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of an insulator embodying myinvention.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the insulator, andshowing parts broken away and in section.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on theline 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of one of the strands.

FIGURE 6 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 ofFIGURE 5.

In the drawing, A is a substantially rectangular extensible insulatorembodying my invention disposed between a padding B for an exterior trimmaterial C and a supporting spring structure D of an upholsteredassembly.

As shown, the insulator A has a substantially rectangular extensiblesheet 10 of flexible material, and separate substantially parallelextensible reinforcing strands 11 of uniform length threaded lengthwisethrough said extensible rectangular sheet.

The flexible material of said rectangular sheet 10 and said reinforcingstrands 11 have intermediate their ends longitudinally extendingportions 12. and 13 respectively of undulating form, so that saidrectangular sheet and said strands are extensible. Successiveundulations 14 respectively of said strands are disposed alternatelyupon opposite surfaces of the rectangular sheet 10 and are disposed invertically opposed relation to successive undulations 15 of the flexiblematerial of the rectangular sheet 10. Opposite end portions 16 of saidstrands 11 are upon the upper surface of the rectangular sheet 10 andterminate short of and adjacent to opposite ends of the rectangularsheet.

Preferably opposite end portions 17 of the flexible material of therectangular sheet 10 are substantially flat and are terminally providedwith open return bent or in wardly folded portions 18, and opposite endportions 16 of the reinforcing strands have deformed portions,preferably in the form of open return bent or substantially C-shapedportions 19. The end portions 16 and the deformed portions 19 of thestrands 11 are disposed between the flat end portions 17 and the returnbent portions 18 of the flexible material of the rectangular sheet, sothat the deformed portions 19 of the strands are covered by the openreturn bent portions 18 of the flexible material of the rectangularsheet and are capable of being interlocked with the flexible material ofthe rectangular sheet to resist endwise movement of the strands bodilyrelative to said rectangular sheet.

In the present instance, the flat end portions 17 of the flexiblematerialof the rectangular sheet, the open return bent portions 18 ofsaid flexible material, the end portions 16 of the reinforcing strands11, and the deformed portions 19 of said strands at each end of therectangular sheet have a common binder 20. Preferably each binder 20 isfolded freely around the ends of the rectangular sheet 10 and hassubstantially flat substantially parallel portions 21 and 22respectively located below the substantially flat portions 17 and abovethe return bent portions 18 of the rectangular sheet 10.

Each binder 20 is formed of flexible sheet material, and thesubstantially flat substantially parallel portions 21 and 22 thereof areheld against displacement by fasteners 23 extending through thesubstantially flat end portions 17 and the open return bent portions 18of the flexible material of the rectangular sheet at points between theend portions 16 of the strands. Preferably each binder 20 is formed froma material that is different than the flexible material of therectangular sheet 16 and comprises a separate strip extendingtransversely of the rectangular sheet.

The fasteners 23 at each end of the rectangular sheet 10 are spacedapart and are substantially in alignment. Such aligned spaced fasteners23 extend transversely of the rectangular sheet 10 at pointssubstantially midway between the respective folds 24 of the binders 20and the free edges 25 and 26 respectively of the substantially flatsubstantially parallel portions 21 and 22 respectively of the binders20.

Although the various elements of my insulator may be formed of anysuitable material for the purposes set forth, the rectangular sheet 10is preferably formed of burlap, the strands 11 are preferably formed ofwire, the binders 20 at opposite ends of the rectangular sheet 10 arepreferably formed of crepe paper, and the fasteners 23 are preferablyformed of metal and comprise conventional type hog rings that may beconveniently stapled to the binders 20 and to the flexible material ofthe rectangular sheet 10.

Thus, from the foregoing, it will be apparent that the insulator A isused between the padding B and the supporting spring structure D of anupholstered assembly, such for example a seat or seat back of a motorvehicle, and that in use the opposed undulations 14 and respectively ofthe strands 11 and of the rectangular sheet 10 will flex toward oneanother and thereby will permit both of said elements, namely therectangular sheet 10 and the strands 11, to be longitudinally extensibleto compensate for localized loads imposed upon them by one or moreseated persons. Such binders not only facilitate the handling andremoval of the insulators A when arranged in a stack, but also serveeffectively to protect the padding B of the upholstered assembly fromthe deformed end portions 19 of the strands, and thereby precludeobjectionable abrasion or tearing of such padding B when the insulatorsare installed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An elongated composite insulator for use between an overlying paddingand an underlying supporting spn'ng structure of an upholsteredassembly; comprising an elongated substantially horizontally extendingsheet of flexible material, and substantially horizontally extendingsubstantially parallel separate reinforcing strands threaded looselylengthwise through said sheet, the flexible material of said sheet andsaid reinforcing strands having in each instance intermediate their endsportions of undulating form so that both said sheet and said strands areextensible when subjected to a localized load.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein successive undulationsrespectively of said strands are disposed alternately upon oppositesurfaces of said sheet and are disposed in vertically opposed relationto successive undulations of said sheet.

3. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein opposite end portions ofsaid sheet are terminally provided with open return bent portions, andopposite ends of said strands have deformed portions between and coveredby the opposite end portions and the return bent portions of said sheet,the deformed portions of said strands being capable of being interlockedwith one of the portions aforesaid of said sheet to resist endwisemovement of said strands bodily relative to said sheet.

4. The structure defined in claim 3, wherein the end portions and thereturn bent portions of said sheet and the deformed portions of saidstrands at each end of said sheet have a common binder.

5. The structure defined in claim 4, wherein each binder is formed offlexible material and is held against displacement by means extendingthrough the end portions and the return bent portions of said sheet.

6. The structure defined in claim 5, wherein each binder comprisesflexible material folded freely around an adjacent end of said sheet,and wherein the folded material has substantially flat substantiallyparallel portions respectively below an adjacent end portion of saidsheet and above an adjacent return bent portion of said sheet.

7. The structure defined in claim 6, wherein the sheet is formed ofburlap, the strands are formed of wire, the binders are each formed ofcrepe paper, and the means for holding the binders against displacementare formed of metal.

8. An elongated composite insulator for use between an overlying paddingand an underlying supporting spring structure of an upholsteredassembly; comprising an elongated horizontally extending sheet of burlapprovided at opposite ends thereof with substantially flat portions andprovided intermediate said flat portions with vertically extendingalternately arranged upwardly and downwardly opening curved portions,and horizontally extending sub stantially parallel reinforcing wiresthreaded loosely lengthwise through said sheet, said wires havingportions upon the flat portions aforesaid of said sheet and beingprovided intermediate the portions just mentioned with verticallyextending alternately arranged upwardly and downwardly opening curvedportions, the upwardly opening curved portions of said sheet beingvertically opposed to, spaced from, and capable of being flexed towarddownwardly opening curved portions of said wires when subjected to alocalized load, and downwardly opening curved portions of said sheetbeing vertically opposed to, spaced from, and capable of being flexedtoward upwardly opening curved portions of said wires when subjected toa localized load.

9. An elongated composite insulator for use between an overlying paddingand an underlying supporting spring structure of an upholsteredassembly; comprising an elongated horizontally extending sheet of fabricprovided intermediate opposite ends thereof with vertically extendingupwardly opening curved portions and vertically extending downwardlyopening curved portions, and horizontally extending substantiallyparallel reinforcing strands threaded loosely lengthwise through saidsheet intermediate the upwardly and downwardly curved portions thereof,said strands being provided intermediate opposite ends of said sheetwith curved portions, the upwardly opening curved portions of said sheetbeing vertically opposed to, spaced from, and capable of verticalmovement toward curved portions of said strands when subjected to alocalized load, and the downwardly opening curved portions of said sheetbeing vertically opposed to, spaced from, and capable of verticalmovement toward curved portions of said strands when subjected to alocalized load.

10. An elongated composite insulator for use between an overlyingpadding and an underlying supporting spring structure of an upholsteredassembly; comprising an elongated horizontally extending sheet offlexible material, and horizontally extending substantially parallelreinforcing strands threaded loosely through said sheet, the flexiblematerial of said sheet and said reinforcing strands having in eachinstance vertically extending curved por- References Cited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Best June 11, 1935 Mitchell et alAug. 18, 1936 Clark Nov. 12, 1940 Hull July 18, 1950 Reed Sept. 29, 1959

